Kings County one of 12 jurisdictions In U.S. to get domestic violence grants

Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes announced Wednesday that Brooklyn was one of only 12 jurisdictions in the country to be awarded up to $200,000 in federal grant money by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women, as part of the new Domestic Violence Homicide Prevention Demonstration Initiative.

Borough Hall, Safe Horizon and the New York City Criminal Justice Agency are partners with the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in this initiative.

Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder awarded the grants Wednesday. Brooklyn received approximately $200,000. The goal is to reduce the number of domestic violence homicides by identifying those who are at high risk for becoming victims and to monitor high-risk offenders.

The money will go toward the research and implementation of a community-wide approach in cases where the victim may be at risk for death or serious physical injury at the hands of an intimate partner.

This will be a coordinated community response across all sectors: police, prosecutors, health professionals, social service agencies and faith communities, to name a few. After a year, up to six of the locations will be selected to continue implementing the program for three more years.

“While great progress has been made, we can do even more to prevent these homicides from occurring,” said District Attorney Hynes. “This grant will implement evidence-based strategies by using predictors of grave risk. Once identified, we want to immediately connect victims to services at the Brooklyn Family Justice Center.”

“By intervening in high risk cases and using tested strategies, I hope that we can break down barriers confronting victims of domestic violence who feel isolated and alone,” said Wanda Lucibello, chief of the Special Victims Unit.